Electrical contact device



Nov 22, 1949 G. B. KNGS 2 488 669 ELECTRICAL CONTACT DEVICE Filed April 25, 1946 (/VVENTOR G l/NNAR B'O'RGE mv'o's ATTORNE Patented Nov. 22, 1949 ELECTRICAL CONTACT DEVICE Gunnar Biirge Kniis, Eindhoven, Netherlands, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Hartford National Bank and Trust Company, Hartford,

Conn, as 'trustee Application April 25, 1946, Serial No. 664,725 In the Netherlands October 19, 1942 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires October 19, 1962 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to an electrical contact device, more particularly a relay, comprising a certain number of stacked contact springs, in which the movement of the driving mechanism is transmitted to the contact springs through a ladder-like construction.

It is an object of the present invention to obtain a simple and robust ladder construction, in which more particularly the problem of providing the rundles and of the adjustability of the rundles in a vertical sense is solved in a suitable manner; additional advantages will appear from the following.

It is an object of my invention to provide an electrical contact device having a ladder-like assembly portion with two hinged side columns so recessed that contact controlling rundles may engage sides of the recess thereby to be held between the said columns When in locked position with each other.

It is still another object of my invention to provide an electrical contact device with a ladder-like assembly in which a hinge element rotatably positions two recessed side columns in a given plane so that the symmetry of contact controlling rundles positioned by the said recesses may be maintained when the said columns are locked together at the bottom portions.

The invention will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, given by way of example.

In this drawing Figure 1 represents a relay incorporating the invention.

Figures 2, 3 and 4a, and 4b represent a member provided according to the invention for actuating the contact springs of the device shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the relay winding provided on a core is designated by I and the relay armature by 2. The movable and the stationary contact springs are clamped together by means of a clasp 9 and secured to a metal strip l which is attached to the relay core by means of screws through the intermediary of a curved part 4. The contact springs are separated from each other by insulating strips 8. The transmission of the movement of the relay armature 2 to the contact springs 6 takes place by means of a single member 3 which is furnished with a certain number of rundles |2, |3 provided between the contact springs. When the winding is energized, so that the armature 2 is being attracted, these rundles bring the contact springs into the operative position.

The member 3 shown on Figure 1 is represented in Figure 2. It comprises two side columns 20 and 2|. The latter are furnished with notches 22 in which rundles may be provided. These rundles are also recessed at their ends. In Figure 2 rundles l2 and I3 have been provided, on which are bearing contact springs 6. The two side columns 20 and 2| are hinged together by means of a hinge element 23. In Figure 3 the member 3 is represented in the opened position. This figure shows also the incisions 24 provided at the endsof the rundles I2 and I3. On the side of the side columns 20 and 2| remote from the hinge are provided perforations 25 and 26. After mounting, a riveted joint is established through the apertures, in a manner known per se, between the two side columns 2| and 22. Both of the side columns are provided at their centers of rotation 3| and 32 with projecting parts 21 and 28 extending normally to their longitudinal direction. As appears from Figures 2 and 3 these projecting parts, in the mounted member, engage a part 29 of the hinge element 23 extending normally to the axis of rotation of the side column. Thus, the rotation of the two columns towards each other is limited and at the same time the hinge element 23, after mounting, occupies automatically the correct symmetrical position with respect to the side columns. At the same time the mutual rotation of the side columns towards each other is limited by projecting cross parts 29 and 30 provided at the ends of the side columns 20 and 2| remote from the hinge element.

Figure 4a is a cross section of a member for moving the contact springs, where, according to the invention, a cross arm acts as a hinge element. To this end this rundle is furnished with two slits 4| and 42. The two side columns 43 and 44 are provided at the hinge end with hook-shaped projecting parts 45 and 46. As appears from Figure 4a in regard to the side column 43, these projecting parts can be introduced into slits 4| and 42. After that the side columns are capable of turning about the re-entrant angles 41 and 48 with respect to the rundle 4|! which is used as a hinge element. Figure 4b is a plan of this construction. As appears on comparison of Figures 2 and 4a the use of this construction yields a saving in space at the top of the member. The member shown in Figure 4a only slightly projects from the uppermost contact spring.

The invention used in the devices referred to permits a space-saving positioning of the contact springs, and the mounting is simple and 3 takes little time. The invention permits more particularly the construction of a compact relay having a large number of contact springs.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical contact device, comprising stacked contact spring members, a ladder-like assembly including a pair oi columns provided with notches, spaced apart rundles with recessed ends positioned in the said notches, a driving means coupled to said columns and through said rundles to certain of spring members, a member, the said columns each arranged for rotation at one end on said crossarm member and for receiving a locking means at the other end to hold the said rundles in said notches.

2. An electrical contact device, comprising a plurality of contact spring members positioned one above the other. a ladder-like assembly having a strip-shaped hinged element, a pair oi! spaced apart columns provided with notches and having integrally projecting portions, said por tions being hingedly coupled by said element. spaced apart rundles positioned between said columns and driving means coupled to said columns and through said rundles to certain of said spring members, said columns being locked to each other at the ends remote from the supported ends.

3. An electrical contact device, comprising stacked contact spring members, a ladder-like assembly having a strip-like element provided with apertures, two sidecolumns each provided with notches on one side and each rotatively connected through said apertures to said element, spaced apart recessed rundles positioned between said columns in the said notches, and driving means coupled to said columns and through said rundles to certain of said spring members, each of said columns being formed with an integrally projecting portion on the notched side which extends normally to its longitudinal direction at the supported end thereby to limit the degree of rotation of the said columns.

4. An electrical control device, comprising contact spring members, a ladder-like assembly comprising a strip-like member, a. pair of pin-like members attached to said strip-like member, side columns provided with notches and mounted on said pin-like member for a limited degree of relative rotation in a given plane, a plurality of spaced apart recessed rundles positioned between said columns and in certain of the said notches and driving means coupled to said columns and through said rundles to certain 01 said spring members, said columns being each formed with a similar integrally projecting cross part at each bottom end, said projecting parts formed with openings, said openings formed to receive means for locking the said columns together.

5. An electrical contact device, comprising stacked contact spring members, a ladder-like assembly having side columns with integrally projecting portions at one end and spaced apart rundles, one of said rundles being provided with openings for said portions, said portions when rotated acting as a hinged connection for said columns, means for locking the said columns in operative position thereby to fixedly mount the said rundles therebetween, and driving means coupled to said columns and through said rundles to certain of said spring members.

6. An electrical contact device, comprising stacked contact spring members, a ladder-like assembly having a hinged element with pin-like portions, side columns rotatively connected to the hinged element and spaced apart rundles mounted between said side columns, a driving means coupled to said columns and through said rundles to certain of said spring members, said columns each having projecting portions at the bottom and top ends integrally extending normal to its longitudinal direction, said top projecting portions mounted on the said pin-like portions or the hinged element and said bottom projecting portions arranged so as to be locked together.

7. An electrical contact device, comprising stacked contact spring members, a ladder-like assembly having two side columns provided with notches, a strip-shaped hinged element provided with pin-like projecting portions; a plurality of rundles and a driving means coupled to said columns and through said columns to certain of said spring members, said columns being each hingedly attached to the said pin-like portions oi the hinged element and having integrally projecting portions extending from the top and bottom portions, the top projecting parts of each 01 the said columns engaging the hinged element to provide a stop for said columns when said columns are fixedly Positioned, the bottom projecting parts being formed with locking openings.

GUNNAR BORGE KNOB.

REFERENCES cI'rEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATE PA'I'EN'I'S Number Name Date 1,559,305 Beck Oct. 27, 1925 2,134,448 Knos Oct. 25, 1938 2,347,834 Livingston May 2, 1944 

